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OSHA Offers Best Practices Guide for First Aid Programs
5/25/2006
 WASHINGTON, May 18, 2006 -- The Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) today issued Best
Practices Guide: Fundamentals of a Workplace First-Aid
Program, a new guide to help employers and employees
develop workplace first aid programs.
"Workplace
first-aid program is a key component of any comprehensive
safety and health management system," said OSHA Administrator
Ed Foulke. "Our new guide offers practical information on how
to help employers plan and implement first-aid programs as
well as effective training."
The new OSHA guide
identifies four essential elements for first-aid programs to
be effective and successful; management leadership and
employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and
control, and safety and health training.
The guide
details the primary components of a first-aid program at the
workplace. Those elements include:
* Identifying
and assessing workplace risks;
* Designing a program
that is specific to the worksite and complies with OSHA
first-aid requirements;
* Instructing all workers about
the program, including what to do if a coworker is injured or
ill. Policies and program should be in writing;
*
Evaluating and modifying program to keep it current, including
regular assessment of the first-aid training course.
The guide also includes best practices for
planning and conducting safe and effective first-aid training.
OSHA recommends that training courses include instruction in
general and workplace hazard-specific knowledge and skills,
incorporating automated external defibrillator (AED) training
in to CPR training if an AED is available at the work site,
and periodically repeat first-aid training to help maintain
and update knowledge and skills.
Under the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for
providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees.
OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's
workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing
training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships;
and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace
safety and health. For more information, visit osha.gov.
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